Chicago native Jill Benjamin began her comedy career at the age of 17 by taking improv classes at The Second City (she told a white lie to get in by saying she was 18). This rebel then became the founder of the improv group Full Frontal Comedy at Indiana University (and it’s still going over 20 years later!). After graduating college, she had the honor of studying with the famous Del Close at Chicago’s Improv Olympic.
Benjamin performed regularly at Chicago’s Improv Olympic and The Second City. She later moved to Amsterdam, Holland, when she was cast as a member of the famed improv/sketch comedy theater Boom Chicago. There she met Seth Meyers (Late Night/SNL) and they created their two-person show PICK-UPS & HICCUPS, which played all over the world, including the West End in London, four years at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, twice at the Singapore Comedy Festival, at the Second City ETC Theater, Live Bait, and Chicago Improv Festival.
Benjamin also wrote and starred in her one-woman show PLAYING DUMB WITH JILL BENJAMIN at The Apollo Theater, which received “Critic’s Choice” by the Chicago Reader.
Benjamin currently resides in Los Angeles. She produced and starred in a staged reading of the movie “CLUE” at the Largo Theater, where she played the role of “Mrs. Peacock” (originally played by Eileen Brennan). The director of the movie “CLUE” Jonathan Lynn attended the event and gave her the original slate board from the film and raved about the performance. The production received a standing ovation from a 250 sold-out crowd. All proceeds went to the Children’s Institute’s arts program to help families dealing with abuse.
In LA, Benjamin has created and starred in multiple shows, including Deep Dish (Chicago style improv) at the Hollywood Improv, WIZARD FINGER (a variety show that ran over 15 years with comedic monologues, live music, and dance), and her one-woman show JILL BENJAMIN’S STUCK IN THE 80’s at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.
Benjamin can be seen on multiple commercial spots as well as TV shows, including her role as Henry’s oddly shaped teacher Miss Shapen (get it?) on Nickelodeon’s longest live-action television series “Henry Danger.” Her character was promoted to the City School Inspector on the spin off series “Danger Force.”